There is known conventional art for detecting particles in urine samples using a flow cytometer. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2006-17555 discloses art for classifying the two groups of surface layer squamous type epithelial cells and epithelial cells other than the surface layer squamous type in urine by combining several parameters such as forward scattered light and fluorescent light from particles in a sample using a flow cytometer.
According to that, epithelial cells other than surface layer squamous type epithelial cells, may appear in cases of inflammation and disease, and those are seldom observed in urine samples of healthy individuals. On the other hand, surface layer squamous type epithelial cells are plentiful in urine samples of healthy persons.
Also according to the above document, parameters can be established for estimating the presence/absence of inflammation and disease in a patient who provided a urine sample by calculating the percentage of epithelial cells other than surface layer squamous type epithelial cells relative to the total number of epithelial cells.
Urine samples in cases of suspected disease or inflammation may require detailed information extraction to diagnose the suspected disease or abnormality of the urinary organs. There are several types of epithelial cells of different origin, including squamous epithelial cells, renal tubular epithelial cells, ovoid fat body and the like, which are useful in identifying the origin site of disease and inflammation if the type of epithelial cell contained in the urine sample can be identified.